April 9, 2024: WDFW launches new version of Fish Washington mobile application with upgrades for anglers
Whether you are an experienced angler or just getting started, the Fish Washington app should be on your smartphone or other mobile device.
The free mobile app is designed to convey up-to-the-minute fishing regulations for every lake, river, stream and marine area in the state.
In April 2024, WDFW released a new version with several upgraded features and fixes to common issues that users have reported on both iOS and Android platforms. The new version is ad-free and designed to run more smoothly while using less data and device memory. Developers completely rewrote the app’s code, which now features a single code base for both iOS and Android platforms. This means a smaller app size, less frequent updates, and fewer bugs.
How to get the app
The app can be downloaded for free from Google Play and Apple's App Store. Users who already have the Fish Washington app should see an automatic update to the new version.
Anglers can use the commenting features in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to provide feedback, which will help the department make improvements to the app over time. The public can also leave comments at MobileAppDev@dfw.wa.gov.
Upgrades in spring 2024 include:
- Location-enabled United States Geological Service (USGS) river gauges.
- More consistent emergency regulation delivery.
- Map upgrades with new iconography for restrictions and water body features.
- Full water body name and description or portion to emergency regulation cards.
- NOAA tidal predictions for marine water bodies and lower Columbia River.
- New base maps to improve the user experience.
- A single code base for both iOS and Android platforms.
Fish Washington still includes:
- Interactive mapping to help anglers find fishing near them.
- Details on harvest limits and allowable gear for fishable species in each body of water.
- Access to the Fish Washington website and instructional videos designed to convey when, where, and how to fish in Washington.
- Locations of boat launches and other fishing access points.
- Ability to add waypoints on maps, and report poaching in progress.
- Downloadable updates and offline capacity designed for those who may not have cell service in remote areas or on the water.
Reducing time, cost, and bugs with a single code base
The new version of Fish Washington was written with a single code base for both iOS and Android platforms. This means a smaller app size, less frequent updates, and fewer bugs. Using a single code base, Flutter (an open-source platform that is free to use), also reduces the time and cost to develop new features by around 75% rather than using native iOS and Android languages.
In addition to the new updates, this cross-platform rewrite will include highly requested features in the future, including electronic catch reporting cards (eCRC) anticipated in late 2024 or early 2025.
Mobile App Support
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife builds and supports various mobile apps for internal and external users. You can reach our team with questions, enhancement requests or to report issues at MobileAppDev@dfw.wa.gov.
You can also leave a message for our team at 360-902-2700.